Race Against My Mind by Allison

Race Against My Mind by Allison - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

With every step through the muddy course, I can feel my legs burning, the cold air stings my lungs, and the lactic buildup makes it feel impossible to continue. My mind is the only thing between giving up and pushing through. Last year, I finally learned how to control my mind and take charge of my life, not only in running but in my academics as well. Cross country is a grueling sport that has taught me lifelong lessons by forcing me out of my comfort zone. The biggest and most helpful lesson to this day is how to stay strong mentally.
I've always been told that running is a mental sport, but I never understood how to train my mind. As time went on from when I first started running, it seemed like it got further out of reach to achieve this strength. There is so much telling me to stop during a race, my legs, lungs, and all my negative thoughts seem to pile up. In my first varsity race, I was so focused on proving I belonged. I was only thinking about staying up with the other girls, that I didn't even feel the pain. I finally learned how to silence my brain, redirect my thoughts, and take control of myself. I was able to make real progress not only in my running career but all throughout my life. I started using running as a way to calm down, rather than something that added to my worries. I stopped doubting myself when it came to tests; learning to trust what I know and relax made all the difference. I started to get less anxiety and put less pressure on outcomes, since I was now able to stay in control throughout the whole process, whether that be a race or a statistics test. With this new confidence, I continued to devote myself in and out of the classroom, but now my whole day wasn't ruined if I turned something in late or I forgot my lunch. This lesson was more than just a good thing to learn; it was something I needed to learn.
I hope to carry this newly developed mental strength with me for the rest of my life, especially when entering my new chapter in college. With increased rigor in work and learning to navigate life by myself, it's important to be able to stay strong and prepared for anything coming at me. But also to be able to slow down and enjoy the process of learning, with the privilege that it is.